Synopsis
How to configuring a BT Home Hub 3.0 Type A to be a router for an Ethernet internet connection.
History
I have a satellite modem where I arrived from the UK, and knowing the sat modem had no wifi I pre-bought, from eBay, a 5 pound BT homehub 3 router. Knowing the equipment to be good from consumer experience I thought it to be a good bet to get wifi for the sat connection.
Important !!!
This method only works on a BT Home Hub v3A firmware version less than 4.7.
Instructions on how to downgrade you firmware of a HomeHub 3A can be found here
Required
- BT Home Hub version 3A.
- Downgrade the home hub firmware version to less than 4.7 (info above)
- USB stick
Process
- Download and extract this.
- Run the “hh3a_unlock.exe”
- Connect the modem to the “BT Infinity” port on the BT home hub using a network cable.
- Connect you PC/Laptop to one of the other yellow Ethernet ports.
- Reset the HomeHub to defaults by long pressing the reset button on the back.
- Make the usb stick with “DiskImage_1_6_WinAll.exe” from the “hh3a_unlock” directory. Make it with “ext3.img”. Select the disk number not the letter.
- Plug the usb stick into the usb port on the home hub.
- Open up a command prompt and type
net use z: \\192.168.1.254\usb1 /user:admin XXXXX
where XXXX is your Home Hub admin password
- Copy the “smb.conf” and “utelnetd” into ‘z:\sys\etc’
- Type
net use z: /d
into your command prompt
- Unplug and re-plug the usb stick into the homehub.
- type
net use z: \\192.168.1.254\usb1 /user:admin XXXXX
where XXXX is your Home Hub admin password
- Now browse z: go in and out some directories.
- Telnet with ‘kitty’ or your telnet program to 192.168.1.254 port 4002
- If the port is not open browse a few more directories on z: and retry. I have had it take up to a minute to open the port.
- once the telnet program connects type the following
ssh_cli
conf set persistent/bt/domain_locking/enabled 0
conf del fw/policy/0/chain/fw_br0_in
conf del fw/policy/0/chain/fw_br1_in
conf set /admin/user/0/permissions/ssh 1
conf set bt/bt_agent/enabled 0
net wan_type_set eth
inet_connection ether dynamic_ip eth1
conf set dev/eth1/route_level 4
conf reconf 1
There it’s done. the above commands disable the BT backdoor and enable the ssh service. Then configures the infinity port to DHCP and puts it interface as a route out to the net. I now plugged the infinity port into my sat modem and I was able to use the net via the home hubs wifi or ethernet ports. The only problem is that if the hub loses power then you have to do the config again as it fails to load a few times then flashes the default firmware back. Oh well you’ll never need to turn it off anyway.
If you get lost in my instructions then you can check ‘How to unlock your Home Hub 3A _Now With added SSH Unlock.pdf’ included in the download.